Rough & Tough
by Jounouchi
Summary: Jim Hawking delves into his own past, and Gilliam provides the listening ear...though it seems that the past isn't completely buried. And new adventures unfold for the Outlaw Star crew after the downtime of four years. (*Incomplete*)
1. The Listening Ear

**Author's Notes: **Hm...I'm new to the Outlaw Star fiction...and in all honesty, I've only seen the series one time through. I must say, I was thuroughly disappointed with it. I mean, it had so much potential...and they didn't do a thing with it. I would have loved to have seen an episode that went into someone's past OTHER than Gene. And so, because of that...I chose to do something about it. I liked Jim a lot. Along with Harry MacDougal, Jim was my favorite. Hrm...and a side-note...I saw the series subtitled. So, there is some Japanese words in here. I don't know what I'm going to do with this story...this is mostly a skeletal frame for it right now...and I'll build on it eventually when I decide what direction I'm going in. For now...I just wanted to post the first chapter before the OS fic section got too crowded out on FF.net...hopefully for some sort of feedback. Anyway, as I always say with my fics...I hope you enjoy. ^__^; (an extra note...to anyone who cares or doesn't know: Rough & Tough is the name of Jim's image song).

* * *

It had been four years since the events of the Leyline; four years of absolutely no excitement; four years of no adventures; and worst of all, four years of grueling odd jobs just to scrounge up some money to pay back the horrendous debts that were owed to Fred Luo. But, the one good thing to come out of all of it, was the business that the newly founded _Starwind and Hawking_ enterprise was racking up. Amusingly enough, even despite the lack of action-packed adventures they were having, both Suzuka and Aisha stayed with them to tough it out. Either that...or to freeload off of them the entire time.

For the past couple of months, they had been grounded on Sentinel III, staying at the original house Gene and Jim started at. It was really the only thing they could afford with the majority of their profits going toward Fred. Yes, yes...Gene recalled his words about running away and paying only when he 'made it big.' But, with things the way they were, he wanted someplace to live a semi-quiet life with Melfina. Four years could really change a guy. Everyone seemed to have changed a little in their own way. Gene was a bit more dependable (just a bit) and Melfina seemed a bit more...human. Suzuka opened up a tad more and Aisha...well...Aisha was basically the same.

But, the real difference was in Jim. Already having been mature for the young age of eleven, at fifteen he was even more so...in both attitude and appearance. True, he retained some of his childish nature. He still looked up at Melfina as a motherly figure and still talked to the little pink Gilliam bot (redecorated by himself) on occasion. But, for the most part, he had changed, growing wiser by the day. He was also taller and a bit more built, though he did have the slender frame that those who weren't completely used to fighting often had at his age. Light locks of honey glazed brown were unruly and tousled, even more than before. One might even go as far as to call him...boyishly handsome.

That day in particular, everyone was lingering around the house. Gene had just gotten out of the shower and was parading around in nothing but a towel, not seeming to care just who he gave an indecent show to, but hey...that was Gene. Melfina had been in the kitchen, making a nice, hot breakfast for everyone while Suzuka sat at the table, sipping her daily tea and reading the paper at the same time. Aisha and Jim were currently in the living room. The Ctarl-Ctarl was playing a video game of some sort while Jim had curled up with his pillow and blanket on the couch to watch some television. Hey, even highly intelligent hackers found cartoons amusing from time to time.

"Nyaa?! Game Over?! This is a disgrace to a Ctarl-Ctarl to be--Ooo, look! I've got some continues left--" Once again, the cat girl involved herself avidly in the game.

"Aisha! Would you keep it down?! I'm trying to watch this!" Jim furrowed his brows in aggravation.

An ear twitched downward and she spared a glance toward the boy, swiftly pausing the game, "You should be the one to keep quiet! I'm on the last level here. All these months of playing this and I'm finally going to beat it!" Suddenly a pillow went sailing at the starry-eyed neko, sending her backwards off the chair. Aisha swiftly sprang to her feet, glaring at him. "What's the big idea?!"

"QUIET!" The fifteen year old reached for the remote, turning up the volume so as to drowned her out completely.

All she did was hiss and then snort, indulging in the game once more. For a few brief moments, all was peaceful. Until of course, Aisha lost her final life. The game player was launched toward the nearest wall and she dusted her hands off innocently, marching toward the kitchen. Jim glanced over at the shattered remains and then released a heavy sigh.

"And she wonders where her portion of the money goes..."

"Jim!"

He blinked, glancing over his shoulder to spot Melfina there, "Hai?"

"I made you some eggs and toast. Just the way you like it," She appeared pleased with herself.

"Hai," He smiled and then sprang up to his feet. The scene was familiar as he made it into the dining area. Especially with Gene's vulgar habit to drink out of the milk carton itself. "Aniki! Did you ever think some of us don't want to share spit with you?!"

"Hmph, if you don't like it, Jim, then buy your own milk..." Gene brought his arm across his upper lip to gather the remains of white liquid.

The fifteen year old slid into his seat, "That was my milk. I buy the food around here, remember? And I'm sure if I didn't, no one else would...with maybe the exception of Melfina."

"A man's gotta buy his booze. You'll learn that when you're old enough, heh."

"I am old enough, aniki. Legally, I can drink on the total of five planets."

"He's got a point there, Gene..." Suzuka looked up only briefly, before she turned the page of that paper, skimming over the rest of the black print.

"Great, then let's board Outlaw and take you to one of them..." The redhead smirked.

"Yeah, good luck. One's so temperate, you can barely go anywhere without being caught up in some bizarre weather. The other's gravitational pull is approximately--"

"Nyaa~! Must you start getting all smart this early in the morning?!" Aisha glared at Jim.

"Actually...it isn't all that early, it's--" Melfina started, but was cut off by another loud _'nyaa.'_

"Don't mind her, Melfina. She's going to be a bit temperamental since she lost her last life in that game..." The youngest informed.

"H-hai..." Melfina blinked, sinking down beside Gene, who blatantly placed a hand on her thigh. A light rosy tint came into the bio-android's cheeks, before her gaze settled on Jim again. "How is your food, Jim?"

"Just great!" He closed his eyes happily.

"Arigatou."

"Oi...today I gotta take care of that mission..." Gene groaned, removing his hand from it's inappropriate place.

"What mission?" Jim quirked a brow.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I never told you. I gotta borrow your car."

"Nani?!"

"I won't take it far. And I'll even refill the gas..."

The teenager sweatdropped, "That's not what I'm afraid off..."

"Anyway, I'm doing this solo."

That got to Jim right there. He leapt up from his chair, slamming his palm flat against the surface of the table. This action forced even Suzuka to look up as she steadied the cup of tea from spilling. He didn't seem to pay it any mind, rather just glared at Gene, "Doushite?!"

"Calm down, Jim. You gotta do repairs on Outlaw Star anyway, ne?"

"That's not the point! This is supposed to be Starwind _and_ Hawking! It's a partnership and so far you've left me in the dark with all of the missions except the lousy ones. It's not fair!"

"Someone's cranky..." Aisha appeared mildly amused, after all, this was pay back to Jim for earlier.

"Shut up!" He barked at the neko-girl.

"Jim..." Melfina frowned. She wasn't sure what to say, but wanted to comfort him somehow. A small smile curved on her lips as she offered the only thing she could think of. "Do you want some more breakfast?"

"Ie! I don't want anything anymore. I'm sick of this..." With that, he stormed off in the opposite direction, muttering various curses under his breath.

"Well...it looks like you managed to screw up once again, Gene. Bravo..." The ex-assassin stated calmly, drawing in a sip of her luke warm beverage.

"Feh! I don't care about him. Let's go, Melfina...you too, Suzuka. I can use your help," Gene rose to his feet.

"What about me?" Aisha furrowed a brow.

"Eh, I don't need any Ctarl-Ctarls getting in my way. After all, Aisha...you have a tendency to cause more trouble than me..." He laughed heartily.

She hissed, baring her claws angrily, "Gene Starwind...!"

He tossed his head back with a chuckle, "I'm getting out of here."

"Anou...Gene?" Melfina clasped her hands in front of herself.

"Un?" He looked toward her over his shoulder.

Absently, a hand lifted to tuck a few raven strands behind her ear, "You are going to get some clothes on, ne?"

Gene arched a brow and then reddened as he glanced toward the towel, "U-un!"

With nothing short of disdain, Jim stomped down those stairs, making it a personal point to be as loud as possible. Once he reached his so-called office (which was really only the basement), he threw open the door and slammed it behind him. A sigh of exasperation escaped his lips and the fifteen year old frame slid to the ground. He silently pulled knees to his chest and laid his chin atop them. A mess of honey-brown dripped into his eyes, but at the current moment he didn't seem to pay much attention to that. He was just so aggravated.

Personally, Jim wasn't sure why with all the years that he spent there, why he stayed. He could have easily pursued other things. There were always jobs for hackers out there. Granted, he wasn't the best hacker, but he could have found a job that was much better than being constantly kicked aside by Gene. He had done nothing but stick by him loyally, too! He had been there from the beginning and now Gene wouldn't even let him in on what it was he was about to do. And the worst part was...he wanted to use _his_ car for it!

Jim sighed and then narrowed his eyes, grasping one of those gizmo's that lay strewn out at his side, before he chucked it at the wall in front of him angrily, "Damn you, Gene Starwind! I wish the Anten seven _had_ killed you back then!"

"Doushitemo, Jim?" The familiar voice of Gilliam questioned about the boy's troubles.

He blinked, glancing in the direction of the little pink contraption beside his lap top. A small and very faint smile touched his lips as he pushed himself upright, moving over in that direction, "Gilliam...I guess you're the only one I can talk to now."

"I take it Gene has done something stupid, has he not?"

"Un, demo...when's aniki _not_ doing something stupid?" Jim slid onto the black cushion chair, causing it to swerve slightly, but he soon steadied it by placing his feet flat on the floor.

"Do you care to talk about it? I know I am not quite capable of understanding your troubles, demo...I will do my best to give you some appropriate advice..."

"Arigatou..." He smiled some before he just sighed. "It's just that I thought me and aniki are supposed to be partners. I mean, we named our business after _our_ last names! And we had that whole adventure at the Leyline together. Not to mention all the stuff _before _the Leyline. I thought he needed me and that I was important."

"You are important, Jim..."

"Damn it, Gilliam! Then how come I don't feel that way?! How come no one around here treats me like I'm worth something! It's only if they need something that has to do with computers. Otherwise, just forget about it."

"I understand completely, for as a machine, I am only used when needed."

Jim frowned somewhat, laying his chin on his forearms which crossed together on the desk, "But that's the difference between you and me. I'm a person, a human being."

"And if I were a human being, I am sure I would be upset as well..."

"Gilliam, I just don't get aniki..."

"You and me alike, Master Jim."

He laughed quietly, "And you claim you don't get human emotion. At least we have that one thing in common. I wonder if Melfina can claim she understands him any better."

"Possibly, demo that would only be due to something that's referred to as 'women's intuition.' "

The fifteen year old nodded slowly. A fingertip worked it's way along the surface he leaned on, moving it's way to scratch at something that was stuck there, chipping it bit by bit, "I don't get why we all haven't gone our separate ways yet. Suzuka and Aisha would do well on their own."

"Human beings form a certain bond with each other over time. It's a well-known fact, Jim."

"I suppose..." He sighed somewhat. "Demo, why do people like aniki so much? It's not like he's _that_ great."

"I think you could answer that yourself, Jim. Why did _you_ like him?"

The young hacker blinked and stopped what he was doing so his gaze could shift toward the little pink Gilliam, "Heh...are you turning into my shrink now, Gilliam?"

"I do not know what you mean. I am merely trying to help you..."

"I know. Arigatou for that...at least you take the time to listen to me..." Jim shifted back in the chair, clasping his hands behind his head and propping his feet on the desk. "I suppose it all just goes back to the fact that for a while aniki was the only guardian I had."

"You do not have any other parents, Jim?"

"I do. Or...I _did_. My okaasan died right after I was born. And my otousan, well, can I trust you with a secret, Gilliam?"

"Hai...I am designed to hold the secrets of my crew..."

"Demo, this is just a secret between you and me. Meaning you can't tell anyone. Even though aniki already knows most of it. No doubt he forgot..." He narrowed his eyes bitterly.

"I will not tell a soul..."

"Good! Well, I guess in a way...I've always admired aniki. When I was young and we first met, he was unlike anyone I had ever known. So free and independent. I mean, at first look, you wouldn't be able to tell how much of a bastard he was...heh. Demo, I suppose I should start at the very beginning, huh?"

"The beginning is normally a good thing to begin with..."

Jim chuckled quietly, dropping his legs to the floor again and leaning forward in the chair. He moved closer to Gilliam so he could talk in a lower voice, just in case someone happened to be nearby, which he highly doubted. After all, Gene was off on his important mission. And he probably took everyone else along with him, but one really never knew. Sepia-hued spheres shifted aside before he drew in a breath and gave his attention toward the bot.

"Okay...it all started about five years ago...right here on Sentinel III..."


	2. Stories of the Past

**Author's Notes:** Heheh, I somehow KNEW the reactions would be like that XD. I probably should have waited until Chapter 2 to post the story itself, but eh...it would have taken too long for me to actually stop being lazy and get it done. Bad, Krissy-chan. Well, I think I finally know where I'm going with this. I've come up with a few ideas...and well...delved partially into Jim's past here. So, I hope you all like it...and that my idea winds up being creative enough. There sure are a whole lotta Jim/Past ficcies... o__o;. Though, I hope I do all right as far as characterizations go...I've only seen OS once through...e_e;.

* * *

_Tousan and me...we never really stayed in one place for too long. I guess his job always just had us moving around, demo I didn't mind much. I got to see new places and make new friends. Of course, I always had to leave them, but there were always more to make, ne? And besides, we could always play games on the 'net. Tousan had plenty of computers. So, eventually, we came here to Sentinel III and I remember after helping Tousan hook up some of his gadgets, I sat there watching him work. I often watched him work because that way I had a better chance of him asking me for help, heh! I was his 'little genius.' I guess that's not much of a nickname when you compare it to 'pumpkin' or something, but it was good enough for me._

_My Tousan was a hacker too, only a really good one. You wouldn't be able to find anyone who hadn't heard his name (unless they were a baka like aniki). And if they didn't know his real name -- which was James Hawking if you're wondering -- they knew him as the 'Computer Wizard.' He was always getting requests from different people. It always amazed me that no matter where we moved...he got tons of job opportunities. We had plenty of money, demo...you'd never be able to tell by looking at the dump we lived in. It was a small apartment, big enough for him and me...and his tons of electrical equipment..._

_But anyway, un...I was watching him work that morning..._

Jim shifted absently on the creaky steps of the apartment, eyeing the odds and ends of wires while his father's typing filled in the background noise. James Sr. wasn't anything spectacular to look at; he was simply an ordinary guy with grey speckled black hair and glasses. He was a little on the short side and a bit too skinny...but just an average guy all around. Jim looked nothing like him, unless one counted being 'scrawny' as a physical attribute. Though that was probably more due to Jim's limited cooking skills (since he was the one to make the meals around there).

It was a particularly dull day. The first day in a new place always was. Yet, his dad managed to busy himself with typing while Jim sat around hopefully. Maybe he would be able to help if he made himself available...not that, that was such a hard thing when he had nothing else to do. The rubber heel of his shoe absently kicked against the edge of the step and those light brown eyes landed on a scuff mark at the side...one that he hadn't seen before. He reached down to rub his thumb along it, perhaps to remove it completely from the surface...anything to occupy himself in that height of boredom.

"Jim?"

"Hai!" The son snapped up eagerly, only to hit his head on the bannister. A wince crossed his features as he rubbed subconsciously at the mark.

"Daijoubu ka?" A rather amused expression crossed the man's features and he turned in his wheeled chair to study his son behind the thick, black frames.

"Un, daijoubu, Tousan!" He offered a bright grin before pushing himself up swiftly. "Is there something you wanted me to do?"

"Un..." James Senior folded his arms over his chest. "Get out and get some fresh air..."

"Demo..."

"Hn...you want to do something for me? Is that it, Jim? You could go down and pick me up some ink cartridges. That'd take care of both, ne?" The elder reached somewhere within a pile of encrypted codes and various other printouts to hand him a few hundred wong. "And get yourself something good to eat. You deserve it after how much we've been skimping on food lately."

Jim took the money before his eyes lifted toward his father. Afterward, he sighed and nodded. Buying ink wasn't exactly his idea of fun, but it was the only thing he had at the moment. So, after offering a wave, he dashed up those steps, making his way out the door. Sentinel III, the very streets were unfamiliar to him. Though, he and his father had done their research, so Jim knew where the important things were located. But the maps and digital images didn't give a real sense of the noise or smell of the place.

He took a few steps forward cautiously. But that caution didn't stop the next event from happening. A sudden impact with his left shoulder caused him to grimace, but when he glanced up, he noticed that his money was gone. And the person who bumped into him was running off in the opposite direction. It took him a few moments to realize what had happened and then he narrowed his eyes.

"Ooi! Get back here!"

Jim pushed himself into a sprint, keeping his eye on the bluecoated thief who was doing his best to lose him in the crowd. The boy's lithe form ducked and dodged the people he probably would have bumped into were he a few inches taller. Not once, did he take his eyes away from his target, using his peripheral vision to avoid the obstacles in his path. The man spared a brief glance over his shoulder, seeing that his victim was gaining on him. Using quick thinking, he reached over to his left, pushing down the line of trash bins that resided there. In a domino reaction, they knocked one another over; garbage spewing out of the openings.

Jim skid to a halt and then watched helplessly as the thief disappeared around the corner, "Kuso!"

The hacker's son carefully climbed over the heap and then rounded that corner as well. Bluecoat was still ahead by quite a bit, but at the very least he was in sight. Jim picked up his pace, feeling quite a bit winded, but using adrenaline alone to drag him onward. The man looked behind himself again, noticing with some satisfaction that the kid was farther back than before. A smirk curved on his lips and he went to turn forward, only to plow straight into another male.

The thief blinked a couple times before he glared at the redhead, "Outta my way!"

"Heh...I don't think so," And with that, he withdrew a gun of some sort from his tan cloak.

The other's eyes widened, "W-what d'ya want? Money? Here, take it. Take all of it..." He tried to pass off the swiped wong.

At that point, Jim raced up, panting, but keeping his eye on the scene. This newcomer tilted his head toward the cash before he smirked and brought the polished metal of the weapon into the thief's forehead, knocking him out. Jim blinked, tightening somewhat as the man fell in front of his feet. His eyes then raised toward the redhead.

"I'd rather just get the money your worth. No doubt a bounty on your head and an outlaw has to get his booze..." He reached down, hoisting up the unconscious form.

"An...outlaw...?"

The man paused at the words, his gaze shifting toward Jim, "Hn, I suppose this guy took your money, ne?"

"H-hai!"

"And you're gonna give it to me for kicking this guy's ass, ne?" He grinned wolfishly.

"I..." Jim shook his head in protest.

"Ja," He dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

The ten year old furrowed his brows. This was _not_ how this was going to go! Angrily, Jim lunged himself forward. It wasn't necessarily his weight that knocked the 'outlaw' down, but the force behind it...not to mention the fact that he was already unbalanced from lugging a big guy over his shoulder. Jim narrowed his eyes, digging a knee into the redhead's spine. Much to his surprise, the man began to laugh, causing his light form to shake from the vibration. That enraged him. After all, he wanted to be threatening!

"What are you laughing at?!"

"You..." He replied and knocked the kid off of him. "To think that a little runt like you could take on me...Gene Starwind."

"I don't care who you are _Gene Starwind_! I just want my damn money back!" Jim sneered.

"Heh, fine, fine. Ya got spunk, I like that. Here..."

He accepted the money with a sigh of relief, though he blinked suddenly, glancing down at it. The boy counted through the bills and those eyes narrowed on Gene again, "_All_ of it."

"And I can't put anything past you either..." He sighed in defeat, handing over the rest. "Demo, you aren't even gonna give me a tip? I did bag this bad guy for ya. I guess you could say I'm your hero. And heroes get rewards for good deeds, ne?"

Jim looked toward him and arched a brow, "Aren't you gonna get enough money from _that_ guy?"

"Ie...he's going to buy my booze. I want _you_ to buy my food!"

Well, the ten year old _did_ need to go to the restaurant. Not to mention, he was lost now that he blindly made turns he couldn't remember, "I'll tell you what...I'll treat you to something for supper. Restaurant of your choice."

"Wow, you really are a nice kid...uh..." Gene appeared to be searching for a name.

"Jim Hawking..." He informed. "Short for James."

"Un, un..." The redhead nodded, stopping to pick up the thief again. "I always wondered, though. Jim isn't _really_ short for James...it takes the same amount of time to say both of them. Jim...James...see?"

Jim sweatdropped as he followed him, "Baka..."

The hacker's son had decided to get the cartridges his father wanted before going for supper and it was a good thing too, since Gene Starwind nearly wiped him out of money on the appetizers...and actually did when it came to dinner. Jim sighed, watching the other shovel in so much food at a time and not even bother to swallow it completely before taking in more. This certainly was a day to remember. He'd get to tell his dad all about being mugged and then saved and then wiped clean of his money by his _hero_. The younger boy shook his head at the thought and then finished off the meal on his own plate.

"Ah...that was great!" Gene patted his stomach in satisfaction, before he leaned in with a smirk. "So, Jim...what's for dessert?"

"Nani?! You just practically ordered everything on the menu and now you want dessert?! Buy it with your own money, _Gene Starwind_...I'm going home now," The boy pushed himself up to his feet.

"I can walk ya there..." Gene rose as well.

"Honto ni?" Jim glanced toward him in disbelief.

"Un...ya know. For dessert."

He sneered and walked away, "Ja."

"Ooi! Ooi! I was just kidding," He laughed, catching up to him. "You're a pretty generous kid. So, I'll cut you some slack and play hero for free. Besides, with me around, no one'll try to mug you again."

"No one can. I used up all my money on _you_."

"Un...and that was just one of my ideas to save you, so you really should be grateful to me."

Jim rolled his eyes and moved out of the restaurant, onto the streets ahead of him. Gene followed his lead, whistling mindlessly and clasping his fingers behind his head. The two walked along casually, rather oblivious to the watchful eye at the side that stared after them from behind the mask of a newspaper. And little did they knew that the person seemed to have been stalking them as well. The redhead casually lowered his head, nudging a stone with the toe of his boot.

"So, Jim..." He began. "You new to Sentinel?"

"Is it _that_ obvious?" Jim smirked.

"Not really. Most people get mugged here. Especially women and children. No matter how long you've been here...you just gotta be tough, ya know?"

"I guess...demo...I'm more of a computer person myself."

"That so? I guess you could get by doing that. You any good?"

"For my age, I guess. I'm no where _near_ Tousan's level! He's just amazing..."

"Of course he is..." A rather unfamiliar voice sounded behind them.

Jim and Gene paused, turning around to face the other slowly. The figure was cloaked in dark purple and had a rather feminine alto. One would only presume it was a woman, and that's just what the duo did. Jim, however, furrowed his brows, studying the suspicious form carefully. He made a subconscious step back...figuring he had had enough 'action' for the day, and Gene was better at playing the part of hero anyway.

"You are...Jim Hawking. Son of James Hawking...the famous 'Computer Wizard.' I've come to kill you, _Jim Hawking_."

The boy's eyes widened as from the folds of the woman's cloak, she withdrew a gun. With the distinct click, his eyes closed tightly and then once the shot was fired, he felt something impact with his body, sending him to the ground. Hard, rough pavement slapped his face as well as the rest of his body, forcing the wind to be knocked from him. Jim struggled to breathe in the pressing darkness as his eyes glazed over with hopeless tears.

_That's it...I'm going to die here. She got me. I'll never be able to see Tousan again..._

Although, suddenly his body became a bit lighter. Jim finally opened his eyes and saw Gene roll away, pushing himself upright. Then, the younger one glanced to the side where the smoking bullet sat, having grazed the road and left behind a thick, black mark. He _wasn't_ hit after all! Gene must have knocked him out of the way just in the nick of time. A sigh of relief was let out, but then he realized he didn't have the time to lay there and recover when this woman for some bizarre reason was after his life. Jim sprang up to his feet, moving behind the safety of Gene's tattered cloak.

"Jim, get back home! I'll take care of her..." He smirked, withdrawing his own weapon. A special kind of shell was fit in and then fired at the female. "Eat this!"

With a brilliant colored explosion, the shot hit it's target, forcing her to stagger back and release a cry of anguish. The light crackled along her body until it faded, forcing her to drop to one knee, clutching her chest as those darkened eyes narrowed on Gene, "Kuso!"

"Was that...a caster...?" Jim glanced toward Gene in question.

"Un...I got a couple more to hold her off. You just get back and tell your Oyaji about _Miss Assassin_ here."

"Hai!"

With that, he took off in the opposite direction, darting through the narrow bends between buildings just to get home as quickly as possible. Behind him, he could vaguely hear the sound of gunshots being fired, and prayed that Gene would be able to stop her before she came after him or his father. Envisioning the sights in front of him as a map in his mind and using the tallest sign as a land mark, he picked out the fastest possible coarse and once it was set, Jim made all the right turns, increasing his sprint until the steps of his new house were in sight. He swiftly surpassed them, throwing open the door.

"Tousan!" He looked around frantically. "TOUSAN!!"

"Jim..." The father emerged from the back with a solemn expression.

His eyes watered over and he rushed forward, throwing his arms around his father, "Tousan, we're in trouble."

"Hai, Jim...I know..." He placed one hand atop the tousled light brown strands. "Demo, it's much too late to do anything about it..."

The son glanced toward him in surprise, wondering how he knew, but more importantly what he meant by it being _much too late_, "Tousan...?"

"Jim...take this..." He took the child's hands, placing a necklace with an oddly shaped pendant into them. "Take this and go into hiding. It'll be the one thing you have to remember me by..."

"Tousan, what're you...saying...?" His heart sank with dread. Deep down, Jim _knew_ what he was saying, but his mind just didn't want to process it.

"I love you, son..." James tightened the hug, before he shoved the other in the direction of the door. "Go...now! Hayaku, Jim...get away from here quickly!"

"T-Tousan...?"

For a while, Jim stood frozen in place. He watched his father's visage, seeing the tears in his eyes. A part of him wanted to break down as well, but he lowered his gaze to prevent himself from doing so. It took a few seconds for him to get his body to respond, but as soon as he did, he rushed out the door. His legs could carry him only so far in the opposite direction before a loud explosion rang out. The shockwave shook beneath his feet, and Jim turned briskly, watching in horror as effulgent flames leapt high above the apartment. He regarded the scene in shock, before with shaky knees, he collapsed to into a kneel.

"Jim!"

Dazedly, he glanced in the direction of the call, seeing that Gene was running his way. Afterward, he slowly looked back at the burning mess that he, for only one day called a home. It wasn't the building he was sad about, but rather the fact that the only steady thing he _did_ have for ten years of his life was just then ripped away from him. Nothing was familiar anymore...nothing could be the same ever again. Despite the changing environments, he always had a guardian. No more...it was gone. _He_ was gone.

Gene's footsteps came to a halt, "Jim, I thought I told you to get home. I got her, demo what if I didn't? You don't want to be a baka and get yourself killed, ne?"

"I don't... ...have a home anymore..." Sepia-hued oculars remained on the road before him and his tone of voice seemed emotionless with those words.

"Nani...?" And then Gene's eyes lifted to the mass cloud of smoke. "Oh..."

"I don't..." Jim's voice wavered. "...have a father anymore...either..."

Maybe it was that the realization had just hit him then. But at that point, right after he said those words, he collapsed into a throaty sob against Gene's body...crying while his life simply melted away to the flames of the all-consuming fire...


	3. The Beginning of the Partnership

**Author's Notes:** Hnn...sorry it took so long to get out a chapter. I have a tendency to get distracted from things and this was one of them. But, I did manage to get up another chapter, so yay me. ^_~. If some of the facts are off from the series, could you let me know? I mean, I don't remember them saying exactly how they met Fred...so I made it up. ^__^;; hehe, well, I guess I'll leave it at that. I hope you enjoy...! 

* * *

"Ooi...come on, Jim...it'll be okay..." Gene patted his back uncomfortably. He had only really dealt with women being upset before, and sleeping with them always seemed to make those problems go away. However, this was completely new to him. Though, he couldn't help but feel compassion for the boy. After all, he had gone through nearly the same thing.

Jim's cries subsided momentarily and he brought his palms up to swipe the droplets away, "I don't know what I'm going to do now. Without Tousan, I have nothing. No place to live...no money...no...Tousan."

The outlaw gave a thoughtful nip to his lower lip before he crouched to his level, "Well, I can't be your Tousan. I'm much too young and handsome. Demo, I'll tell you what...I'll be your aniki. Your older brother _and_ mentor...you could live with me, Jim." _Oh, what am I getting myself into?_

Jim looked up at him, batting away excess moisture with his lashes, "H-honto ni?"

"Un, of course!" _The kid's probably got some relatives anyway. They'll come looking for him._

He nodded slowly, "Sankyuu."

The young hacker glanced back at the building. Firefighters had arrived on the scene and half of the flames were smothered by that point. But despite that, Jim knew deep down in his heart that his father couldn't have survived the explosion. His gaze lowered to the necklace in his hand and he looked over the charm at the end. Fingers covered it and he slowly shoved the item back in his pocket, gathering enough strength to stand.

"Can we go now?" He asked and then added as an after thought. "Aniki?"

"Un, sure...follow me..." Gene briskly led the way.

Jim shuffled along, pausing to look over his shoulder one last time, _Tousan...you're a liar. You promised we'd be together for a long time to come. You vowed you wouldn't leave me like Kaasan did. You promised to teach me so much...and now...you lied to me..._

Sighing at that point, he turned away...being forced to leave that part of his life behind. Those eyes narrowed bitterly, _I'll never forgive you...Tousan...never..._

Gene's home seemed even smaller than Jim's old place and much messier as well. Clothes, plates, and dirty magazines lined the floor almost like a carpet, leaving no spot clear. A small television sat on a stand where a few bullet shells remained. The redhead knocked several items away from the couch cushions, which only resulted in an even larger mess on the floor. Jim stood back uncomfortably, watching the outlaw pat the surface in a manner that was meant to invite him onto it, but it merely served to scatter up a thin cloud of dust.

"Here..." Gene managed to choke through a cough. "You can sleep here."

"How can you sleep in a place like _this_...? Hell, how can you even _live_ here?" Jim made quite a bit of effort to walk around the cluttered floor, but it was useless, so he simply stepped on things in his path.

"Ooi! A guy's got more important things to worry about than cleaning...just relax. I'll get you a beer."

The boy sweatdropped, "I can't drink, aniki. I'm too young."

"Oh...yeah, that's right. Well, uh...I guess I could make you some hot chocolate or something...we have some of that."

"Okay."

Both moved into the kitchen, though Jim had to pause once to peel a paper plate with something sticky off of his shoe, and when he caught up, he saw Gene hunting through the cabinets. The shelves were practically vacant save the cases of beer that lined them. Gene dug a bit further in, a thoughtful expression on his features, but eventually he got what he was searching for. The dust was blown from the top of the can and Jim arched a brow. If it had collected _that_ much dust, it made him wonder just how long it had been in there.

"The girls I had over here sometimes wanted something to drink other than beer, so I got it. Uh...never actually made it myself, but how hard could it be?" He laughed, searching the case for a way to open it.

Jim sweatdropped. He knew he should have stopped Gene, after all, he had no intention of drinking the cocoa now, but something inside of him wanted to be amused. A temporary distraction from the horrible events from earlier was something he more than longed for. With a smirk, Jim sank onto one of the chairs, eyeing his aniki's struggle. Finally, however, the outlaw figured out just how to open that container. It didn't help that the thing seemed to be upside down and brown powder spilled out everywhere until Gene turned it the right way.

"Kuso!" He furrowed his brows before he glanced toward Jim, watching him attempt to muffle his laughs. A small smile curved on his lips. _All right, Gene Starwind! It might be a difficult task...you may have no prior experience in doing it. Demo, no matter what, you gotta keep this kid happy until he gets over his oyaji's death!_

"How do you survive on your own if you can't even open hot chocolate...?" Jim raised a bushy brow in question.

"Ooi! I get along fine by myself!" Gene snorted, opening the fridge and pulling out a carton of milk.

"Honto ni...?" The boy stated sardonically, eyeing the elder's actions.

"Un! An outlaw only needs his beer!" He poured a mug with milk and then commenced sweeping some of the powder in there.

Jim bit his tongue to keep from laughing out loud as Gene tried to stir up the two things, but much to his dismay, the chocolate didn't blend well with the milk. He was such an idiot! Even Jim knew basically how to make a simple cup of cocoa. Yet, his 'aniki' didn't cease to amuse him for a minute. Gene opened the door to the microwave, slipping the cup in there and then setting some random time. The machine sprang to life at the touch of a button, slowly counting down by seconds. Then, the redhead sank into the seat across from him, drumming his fingers and looking about the kitchen as though searching the area for something to say.

"So, uh, Jim? Where are you from?"

"All over the place, actually. We constantly moved around. I don't know what planet I was even born on. Though, I guess you could say I'm from Sentinel III since I'm stuck here."

Gene paled, "You don't have any other relatives? A Kaasan? Or...anyone?"

"Iya...my Kaasan died giving birth. That's what Tousan told me. As for the others, how should I know? Never met them if I do," Jim lowered his gaze. The pain of the day's horrible events suddenly new and fresh in his mind. He never realized until that moment how lonely his life was without his father. That man was the only one he had.

"Hn...maybe we could find some of your relatives. Might be dangerous, demo...a tough outlaw like me can do it!" At that point, the microwave buzzed, and then Gene turned around...withdrawing the mug and sliding it over in Jim's direction. "There ya go."

The younger looked up, stopping the progress of the cocoa with his hand. Yet, he left it there, raising his eyes toward the other, "Do you have a spaceship?"

For a moment, Gene appeared to be elsewhere...off in some distant and sad memory. His voice wavered, hardly holding the same arrogance it normally did, "Ie...I don't."

"Aniki..." Jim studied him thoughtfully. _Maybe it really was good we ran into each other. Gene can help me...and chances are I could help him. Look at this place. It's a mess. Though, I can't help but think he's lonely somewhere deep down in that big, baka body of his. So am I. So, maybe we'd be good together. We could team up! Fight the bad guys and call ourselves--_

"Hawking and Starwind. Has a nice ring to it, ne?" Jim showed off the layout file for the sign designs. "We fix everything from starships to broken hearts. That could be our motto."

"Should be _Starwind and Hawking_. Not _Hawking and Starwind_. That sounds stupid..." Gene speared a fork full of eggs with the prongs and then shoved them into his mouth.

"But, aniki! Hawking comes before Starwind alphabetically!" The paper was lain flat out on the table.

"It sounds stupid still!"

"Ugh! You'll attract _more_ attention with _my_ name in front!"

"And I'm older than you so I should be first!"

Jim sighed, grumbling as he changed the name, "Fine, fine."

About a month had passed since Jim had teamed up with Gene, but in that time, the place was a _lot_ cleaner. It might not have been spotless, but at least it was livable. The two got along rather well in time and even talked about starting up their own business. Jim began planning things out, because naturally he was the smarter one, and then they made it official. It was bound to get them enough money to buy themselves a starship easily, provided the business went well. At least they were saving a fair amount of money by cutting back on eating in restaurants. Jim just made the food since he had the know how and Gene decided to keep him around. Not only did Jim make things easier, but he also brought in some girls who thought it was sweet Gene would take in an orphaned child.

Jim had never lived the kind of life that he was now. Everyday was new and exciting. He learned more about the world through Gene's grotesque habits and eventually became the type of person who could survive the harsh conditions of Sentinel III. It may not necessarily have been a good thing, however, at least no more assassins would be able to take him down without a fight. And even if Jim couldn't do much, they still had his aniki to deal with!

"How about...'we fix everything from tractors to relationships?' That sounds better," Gene began out of context, chugging down the coffee that had been provided with the meal.

Jim bit down on the cap of his pen thoughtfully, before he nodded, "Hai! We'll go with that. This oughta be big, aniki! I can't wait. After we pay the starting fee, we'll be all set to go."

"Starting fee, ne? How much is it?"

"Fifty-thousand wong."

Gene sprayed that coffee suddenly, choking and sputtering, "Nani?!"

"Iya, iya! It's no big deal, aniki!" The young hacker closed his eyes happily.

"Hoh...? So, you have it?"

"Ie..."

"Then how can you say it's not a big deal?!"

"Well...you see. I've been doing up some research," He paused, reaching down and lifting his laptop onto the table. "I found some people who invest in small businesses so long as they get paid back with it's success. This guy seems to be the best choice."

Nimble digits typed in something before the computer was turned in the opposite direction. Gene leaned in somewhat, glancing toward the picture there. A young man who seemed his age or so possessed shoulder-length, black hair. This was held at bay with a head band, bangs dripping over the starts of eyes. The only thing that could really be told in the semi-feminine features was that he appeared fairly friendly. Gene's eyes then drifted toward the name and a red brow slinked upward.

"Luo, Fred...?"

"Un. He's the son of the owner of Luo enterprises. And he has _lots_ of money. Fred lives right here on Sentinel III. So, maybe if we're friendly enough, we could get him to back us up."

"Hmph, how about we just threaten him?"

"Because somehow I doubt that would go over well..." Jim's brow twitched slightly.

Gene sighed, "Fine."

"Maybe I could get him to feel real sorry for us if I told him what happened and why we're starting the business! Think that'd work?"

"Why would it?"

"Works to get girls into bed with you, doesn't it?"

"Hn...good point. I bet having a new business would get even more interested...!"

"Aniki...you're such a hentai..." Jim sighed and shook his head. "I'll just call and get an appointment to talk to this Fred guy. It'd probably be better for me to talk to him anyway."

"Okay, have fun," Gene smirked, munching on the rest of his breakfast.

_So, I made the phone call and we set up a meeting...needless to say, Fred was more than willing to help, so we started up Starwind and Hawking. And that pretty much leads us to where we are now._

Gilliam, who up until that moment had been silent, spoke up, "The ending of your story seems rather rushed, Jim."

"Oh, well, you know. Lots of _useless_ details in there...heh...heh."

"What did happen in your meeting with Fred Luo?"

"Trust me, Gilliam. You don't really want to hear the answer to that," Jim wore an expression of obvious fear. He was scared enough of Fred now, he didn't need to relive the past with him.

"If you say so, then I must believe you."

The fifteen year old paused for a few moments, before he replied quickly, "He made aniki strip for him."

"I see..." Gilliam remained quiet, but then followed up with. "You were right, Master Jim. I really did not wish to know that."

From behind the basement door there was an indistinct laugh. Jim tensed up, snapping his eyes in that direction. His face drained it's color and fingers pressed into his palms so hard that knuckles turned white. Someone was out there. Someone had been listening! He wasn't sure how much that person heard, but the possibility that his past was exposed to someone other than Gilliam forced the blood to pound in his ears. Finally, when he was able to move again, Jim slipped off the chair, standing quietly to his feet.

After receiving a near silent caution from Gilliam, he inched toward the entrance. His heart still felt as though it were trying to escape it's caged barrier, but he managed to seize the knob and pull it inward. At that point, Aisha tumbled in artfully, landing on her back with a slight twitch. Jim was dumbfounded for a moment, but his expression contorted to rage and he slammed the door shut.

"AISHA! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Nyaa?! Anou...well...I...uh..." Her ears dropped somewhat and she stated innocently. "I was bored?"

"How much did you hear!" One foot stomped to emphasize his demand for that knowledge.

"All of it..." She admitted sheepishly.

Jim sighed heavily, slapping a hand against his forehead, "Why are you even here anyway?!"

"Well, Gene wouldn't take me on the mission either."

"So you decided to come and eavesdrop on me?"

"Nyaa! It's not like I'm gonna tell anyone. Besides..." The Ctarl-Ctarl grinned, latching him in a headlock and ruffling his honey-hued strands. "I think it's kawaii the way you and Gene teamed up like that. Even if Gene Starwind will be a dead man by the time he gets back for not taking me with him!"

Jim struggled against the cat girl's brute strength, "Ooi, ooi, leggo!"

She smirked and then released him, one of her ears flickering in the direction of the doorway, "You oughta get the phone."

"Huh? Oh...hai!"

It was a good thing for Aisha's hearing, otherwise Jim might have missed a job opportunity. Hopefully it would be a really good one so that he could rub it in Gene's face when he went to do it. The lad rushed up the stairs, making a dive for the phone. He wasn't sure how many times they had let it ring, but he didn't want to chance it. The receiver was picked up off the hook and he brought it against his ear for a moment.

"Starwind and Hawking. We fix everything from tractors to relationships! Can I help you?"

There was silence.

Jim arched a brow, "Hello...?"

"Hello...Jim Hawking," The deeply familiar feminine voice responded. "Son of...James Hawking..."

He blinked and took a moment to process it. Just who could it be? He had a feeling he knew, and that feeling was only dread. After all, it was hard to forget the voice of someone who tried to kill you. He swallowed hard and managed to question only with the intention of prodding her to speak again, "C-can I help you...?"

"Hai. You can give me over the key...and let me kill you easily...this time around..."

_Her! It's definitely her! The assassin from so long ago...! Aniki didn't kill her...she's still alive! What should I do...?! Aniki...help!_ The phone nearly slipped from his grasp.


	4. Start of a new Adventure

**Author's Notes:** Aww...thank you all for the nice comments! ^_^ I really appreciate them. I know I'm miserably slow with getting out chapters, so I hope you can just bare with me. I won't abandon this, since I never abandon my works...^^. Hnn...I'm not sure whether I want to have Gene, Melfina, and Suzuka become a part of the main plot line...or if I just want to continue to focus on Aisha and Jim, but I'll decide eventually...maybe you guys could tell me your opinion about it. Ah well. Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it! ^_^

* * *

One by one, his fingers lost the ability to clutch the receiver and it then slipped out of his palm, clattering against the floor. The phone skid a tad and then spun around on it's back, which Jim dazedly collapsed against the wall, using it as support to keep him standing. It was as though for that very moment, his blood had run cold, freezing his insides with fear and coating his forehead with icy perspiration. He was going to die, that's all there was to it. He was going to die soon. And then it hit him. The key...? What did she mean by that?

Aisha came charging up the stairs, intent on being nosy and finding out who it was, but when she saw the obvious shock on the fifteen year old's face...she had to question, "Jim! Doushitemo...?"

"Th-the...phone..." He struggled to find his voice, breaking his gaze with the opposite wall.

She furrowed her brows in confusion, but reached down to take the cordless and bring it to one of those cat ears, "Okay...just who is this?! What do you want with Jim?!"

There was a click, followed up by a dial tone. Jim looked up at her, hopeful that the woman told her something. But, his hopes were shattered when she shook her head gravely, placing it on the hook. He sighed and then suddenly released a cry of frustration, bringing fingertips into the heap of tousled dirty blond and at the same time slamming his foot into a trash bin. The canister teetered and then dropped, upsetting all the contents in there. Luckily, though, it was mostly just paper items.

"Kuso...!" His brows stitched together and he dropped to his knees, repeating much softer. "Kuso..."

"Jim...?" Aisha wasn't too sure how to react, but she lay a hand on his shoulder. "Who was that?"

Burying his head in his arms, his muffled reply was, "That assassin lady. The one I was telling Gilliam about. The one I thought aniki had killed."

Her eyes widened for a moment, but then they gleamed over with confidence. She stepped back, slamming a fist into her palm with a smirk, "I don't know what your so worried about. Gene might not have beaten her, but she could never take on a Ctarl-Ctarl! Heheh! So, I'd say your pretty safe, Jim. I'd never let nothin' happen to ya!"

"You can't protect me every waking minute of every day..." He sighed, picking up his head. "It's about time I stand up for myself. I'm pretty sure I can handle a gunfight, after all, I know how to shoot a Caster."

"You're not getting crazy ideas, are you?" She smirked. " 'Cus if you are, you better think about involving me too!"

Jim thought for a moment, raising his eyes to the ceiling, "Maybe. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet. She mentioned something about a key."

"Melfina...?"

"Possibly..." He pushed himself up slowly. "But, that wouldn't explain why she went after me all those years back. I didn't even know Melfina existed."

"Nyaa..." Her ears flattened for a moment, before she suddenly perked up. "What about that thing...!"

"That..._thing_...?"

"Un! You know, the necklace your tousan gave you!"

He suddenly perked up, "Sou ka! That probably _is_ it. I figured the charm looked kinda funny to be anything normal."

"Nyaa! See! I can help out too sometimes. Gene Starwind doesn't know who he's keeping out...! We're probably the best he has!" She puffed up her chest proudly.

"Heh! That's right!" Jim snickered, giving a thoughtful glance to the phone. "Yanno what, Aisha? Why don't we have our _own_ adventure? We can set off and kill this lady once and for all."

"Sounds great to me! I got no plans this afternoon..." The Ctarl-Ctarl grinned, before her expression became confused. "Demo...how're we supposed to find her?"

"I'll just trace the call, of course!" Jim reached in his pocket, taking out a handheld computing device. He began to work the line free, and then hook it to the side of his gadget. "She probably won't be there anymore, but we could at least scope it out for clues."

Aisha leaned over, locking an arm around him, "We'd be like our own Sherlock Homes or some other mystery guys...!"

He sweatdropped, "Anou..." But, the tiny computer released a sound and Jim lowered his gaze toward it, skimming over the display screen. Aisha clambered over his shoulder, trying to steal a peek, and he furrowed his brows, drawing it away, "Ooi...!"

"Lemme see, lemme see! What's it say?"

"It says it was from that old warehouse on the far edge of Sentinel III. The one that's often used by gangs for drug deals. It used to be a computer storage place...so, I'm sure that must be the reason why she was there. After all, tousan and me, we're both hackers."

"So, let's stock up on things and hope we run into her on the way there!"

"Aisha, how the hell are we supposed to get there?" Jim scowled. "Aniki took my car."

"Nyaa~! Good question..." She tapped her chin in thought. "Well~! We _do_ have Outlaw Star here, ne?"

The young hacker shrank back at the suggestion, "Demo...I never flew it with just me before. I-I don't know if I could."

"Jim Hawking, you probably know better than Gene how to do it! Nyaa~! You call yourself a man so have the courage of one! A proud Ctarl-Ctarl will not stand by idly while--"

"Melfina's not here. How am I supposed to control it without her...?"

"Anou..." Aisha paused. "Good point. Well, you could still fly it through town, ne? It's not _that_ big of a distance."

"A huge ship like Outlaw can't fit in the highways. It's illegal to drive it there..."

"Demo...not if you kept _above_ the highways..." There was a devious glint in her eyes.

"I...well..." Jim closed his eyes. _Sometimes, you just gotta take risks, Jim..._ They reopened and a look of newfound confidence appeared. "Okay, let's do it!"

"Whoo! That's the spirit!" She beamed, nudging him off in some direction. "Let's get the ammo we need!"

"Hai!" Jim smiled somewhat. _Man, this is really setting itself off quick. I just hope that all of this isn't a fatal mistake._

***

A car came to a rough stop on the side of the curb. Beside it, were a vast chain of shopping centers, restaurants, and bars. The driver-side door opened up, and Gene stepped out, soon afterward followed by both Suzuka and Melfina. He stepped past the cigarette cluttered ground, peering into one of the display windows of a computer store. The two women stood there quietly and finally, he turned around to face them, his cape swishing a bit with the movement.

"Gene, would you quit wasting our time and please tell us why you dragged us out here?" Suzuka arched a brow, waiting patiently.

"Hai, I would like to know the same thing, Gene," Melfina looked up at him.

"Well..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "There is no mission. Demo, I could still use both of your help..."

The ex-assassin folded her arms over her chest, "For what..?"

"I...er...need to pick out something nice for Jim's birthday coming up. Thought he could use something after the way things are going..."

"I'd love to help, Gene!" The bio-android stepped over toward him, closing her eyes happily.

Suzuka watched the couple for a moment with an inner pang of jealousy. However, her exterior was able to mask her emotions well, and she simply canted her head, "Why did you need me to come along...? Do I look like I'm the shopping-for-presents type, Gene?" Her voice wasn't bitter or sarcastic. Just calm and even-toned as always.

"Well, you're much better at keeping secrets than Aisha. Besides..." Gene smirked, bringing a finger over the side of Melfina's cheek. "Not much shopping would have been done if it was just me and Melfina, ne?"

"G-Gene..." Melfina's cheeks colored a tad.

The other woman simply rolled her eyes, "I suppose you're right. As always, it's me who keeps you in line, Gene Starwind."

"Heh. Now I don't see why you would mind so much!" Naturally he appeared arrogant, but strode casually toward one of the shops. "So, ya think I should look in the computer place?"

"Hai! Jim likes computers..." The android smiled, lacing her hands in front of herself.

"Then computers it is!"

"Do you even know the first thing about what type Jim would want?" Suzuka shook her head, walking behind them rather than with them.

"Anou...I was kinda hopin' you guys would..." The redhead released a nervous laugh.

"I have a feeling this is going to be nothing but a waste of time..." The woman shook her head.

"Ooi! Like it woulda been any better back at the place. Ain't like Jim's gonna be going out on a big adventure without us, ne?" He branched off into a laugh, starting into the entrance of the store.

The two other followed, until Melfina stopped abruptly with a gasp. Her body tensed up for a moment and she raised her hands to study them. Both Gene and Suzuka stopped, but it was Gene's palms that came to her shoulders and his concerned gaze that forced her to tell them the problem. Melfina frowned somewhat, pushing herself into his arms.

"Someone...someone's started the XGP without me..."

"N-nani?!" Gene's eyes widened. "Thieves...?"

"Ie...there are security codes all over it, remember?" Suzuka pointed out.

"I-it's Jim. He's going to try to pilot it!" Melfina informed. "He might be getting into danger. We must hurry back immediately!"

"Un! Let's go!"

And the trio rushed back to the car at that point, hoping against hope that they would make it in time before whatever came to pass.

"Nyaa! It looks so much bigger when we're the only ones on it," Aisha grinned, looping around the empty controls.

"It feels a lot less safe, too..." Jim sighed. _Especially in the main control seat._

They had been sitting there with the computer running for quite sometime, and although Gilliam didn't like the idea all that much, he did tell them that the ship could be piloted without Melfina so long as it wasn't moving to outer space. Jim had been studying the controls, finding out specifically what each one did and then trying with all his might to store the information in his mind. Sort of like a last-minute cram for a test. Only, exams didn't really have as big of a percentage of being fatal like _this_ did.

"Nee, Jim~!" The Ctarl-Ctarl called out.

He blinked, glancing back at her, "Hai?"

"Maybe I should get all naked and go into that little chamber Melfina does!" She snickered.

"A-anou...! I don't think that'd work. Now sit down, we should take off..." Jim closed his eyes tightly. Oh man, the _last_ thing he needed was to be thinking about naked Aisha when he had to pilot the Outlaw Star.

"Hai, hai!" The neko girl leapt over the side of a chair, sitting before the side panel. "Okay, now what do I do?"

"Fasten up..." He paused, nervously handling the main stick shift. "And pray that I got this right..."

"Heh...what's the worst that could happen? You mess up and we die..." Aisha strapped herself in the seat.

"You know, that's not exactly soothing."

"And you're welcome. C'mon, let's get this started already!"

"H-hai...here goes..." A shaky finger moved forward slowly, but was then stopped as a voice rose up.

"Are you really certain about this, Master Jim?" The main board flickered a moment with the question.

"As sure as I'll ever be about nearly dying..."

Jim clamped down on his lower lip with his teeth, feeling small beads of perspiration begin to form from his own inner turmoil. He closed his eyes tightly, and then forced himself to hit the launch button. The vibration from the ship grew more and more, and his eyes opened wide as he clutched the main controls finally, holding them so hard that his hands began to go numb. The Outlaw Star was elevating itself at a rapid pace, ascending further and further. Dust clouds formed around it and Jim watched on silently as they reached their desired height in the sky. Then, at his command, the XGP lurched forward into a rapid flight.

Aisha gripped to the edge of her seat, features frozen in fear, "J-Jim...?"

"Un...?"

"You know...when I said that whole thing about you killing us?"

"U-un."

"Nyaa! I wasn't being literal! We better be safe up here, otherwise I'll--"

"The course is set smoothly, Master Jim. Much easier than Master Gene's first attempt," Gilliam informed.

"Sankyuu!" Jim closed his eyes happily, then smirked, sparing a glance toward Aisha. "Now, _what_ were you saying...?"

"A-anou...I never had anything short of faith in you, Jim!" Aisha smiled weakly.

"Heh, I thought so!"

"Hehe! Now let's get there quickly!"

"Hai!" Jim grinned in agreement, guiding the Outlaw Star through the clouds and into the distance.

***

"Matte! Jim!" Melfina chased after the departing starship until it became a blur on the horizon and impossible to catch up to. One hand remained stretched toward the sky as though she could draw it back on her whim alone. "Jim..."

"Melfina..." Gene was there as she collapsed to her knees, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Daijoubu! Jim's smart. He'll be able to take care of himself..."

"And Aisha..." Suzuka added as she joined them.

"Nani? Aisha's gone too?" The Outlaw looked back at her slowly, receiving a nod.

"Hai. There isn't even so much as a note explaining what they're doing either," The ex-assassin glanced skyward. "Demo, I'm sure if Melfina tried hard enough, she could track them down..."

"Is it, is it really our place to follow...?" The other girl glanced toward them both, before she averted her gaze. "Jim was angry with Gene, so maybe--"

"Che! You can't be saying this is all _my_ fault. I was actually trying to do something nice for a change!"

"Jim felt left out. He often does..." Melfina's features saddened.

"Nani? How do you know? Does he tell you...?" The redhead shifted back.

"Un, sort of..."

"What do you mean _sort of_?"

Melfina's hand went up to touch her chest, resting there a moment, "He tells Gilliam a lot of the time, and I often hear it by mistake."

"Then, did he say anything to Gilliam about where he was going?" Suzuka urged her to continue.

"He didn't say why. Demo, he was telling him earlier about the past. Gene, you really were an important part of his life..." The female droid smiled gently.

Gene glanced up in surprise, but simply cleared his throat, "U-un. Well, what can I say? I'm a regular hero, ne?"

"The past is best left forgotten," Suzuka stated in an icy tone, narrowing her eyes somewhat. "It's best to forget and move on and deal with the present, because really the present is the only time you can guarantee you're alive. We should follow them now."

"Su-Suzuka..." Melfina's expression faltered to sympathy. Did Suzuka have a horrible past as well...? Perhaps it _was_ simply best to just move on like she said. "Hai! If we hurry, I'm sure we could make it after them!"

"Un, then I'll drive us there...you tell us the way, Melfina!" Gene hurried back to the car, dropping into the driver's seat. _Jim...hopefully you're still safe by the time I get there..._

***

The laboratory on the farthest side of Sentinel III was hidden beneath a building used as a comic store. A perfectly, unsuspecting location for a hidden scientific research facility. This belonged to only one man...and was set up with more than enough equipment to seek out answers to the unknown. The main room itself was cluttered by computers and various other machinery. Lit only in places where light was a necessity, shadow mostly enveloped everything in sight.

At that moment, the door on the side opened up and heeled footfalls befell the floor, carrying the figure toward the lone scientist. The man sat with his back turned in a black leather computer chair, and his head tipped upward just a bit at the sound of the steps. This cloaked form bowed it's head just slightly, the cloth around it's visage dipping over just a bit more so. With a clearing of a throat, one could tell that it was a woman. It was the same woman, in fact, that had gone after Jim all those years ago. The very assassin who had called him up previously.

"It has gone well. Young Jim has fallen right into our trap."

"Excellent. Sou, sou...excellent. I'm sure it will be no time before we get the key. No time at all..."

"Hai...is there anything else you would like me to do?"

"Yes. Follow them. If Melfina is there, kidnap her too. There was much unfinished business in the Leyline. Yes, yes...much unfinished business indeed."

"As you wish..."

She started to the exit again, sparing a glance over her shoulder. Afterward, she simply reached upward, punching in a specific code, and then leaving the other alone again. With a slight squeak of ungreased hinges, the chair swiveled around to reveal the face of that scientist. A smirk creased his lips and those fingers curled on the arm rests.

"That's right...all of my unfinished business will be taken care of now. Yes, yes...indeed it will..." Gwen Khan grinned to himself, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.


End file.
